Apparatus for the production of flat helices, helical springs, flexible helical shafts, or the like.



' Pafn'ted nee. 2, |902.

G TRUVE .Y APPARATUS vFR- THE PRODUCTION UF FLAT HELICES, IIELICAL SPRINGS,

FLEXIBLE HELICAL SHAFTS, 0R THE' LIKE.

(Application filed Oct. 23, 1901.) {No @dem 4 Shee'ts-Shee I.

'IlfxlIllllPl IPI IIXIIIIHIIA IIII IIL Patented Dec. 2, 1902.

G. TBuuv APPARATUS FOR THEPRODUCTIDN 0F FLAT HELI'CESQ HELICAL SPRINGS,

FLEXIBLE HELVICAL SHAFTS, 0R THE LH V (Application led Oct. 23, i901.)

4 sheets-sheet 2,

' Wozu/'e i z J i. Y u

Patented l Dec. 2, i902` G. 'BOUVE APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FLAT HELICES, HELIGAL SPRINGS,

(Application led 9ct. 23, 1901.) (Ilo Nudel.) 4 Sheets-$heet 3 I LVI-"f No. 7I5`,l`-80'. Patented Dec. 2, |902.

n G'. TROUVE APPARATUS FUR THE Ponucln 0F FLAT'Hx-:Llcg-s, HELILALSPRINGS,`

FLEXIBLE HELIGAL SHAFTS, 0R T HE LIKE.

(Applicatiog led Get; 58, 1901A' mw lu-iam' roh/Ve 'rus uname Pinzas m, Premio-Umm .msumrol'd Cf Unirse, STATES PATENTV FFICE.

GUSTAVE TROUV, OF'PARIS, FRANC.

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FLAT HELICES, HELICAI. SPRINGS, FLEXIBLE HELICAL SHAFTS, OFI

- THE LIKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 715,180, dated December 2, 1902.

Application led October 23, 1901. Serial No. 79,725. (No model.)

To ctZZ'w/om, t may concer/'77,:

Be it known that I, GUSTAVETROUV, a

.citizen of the Republic of France, and a resident of the city of Paris, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for the Production oi' Flat Helices, Helical Springs, Flexible Helical Shafts, or the Like, of which the following is a full,

Aclear, and exact specification.

seen from the right, with the support of thev Winding-spindle omitted. Fig. 3 represents an elevation of a device in working position for smoothing and hardening the finished helix. Fig. 4 represents a side view from the right of winding and smoothing apparatus arranged on the same support. Fig. 5 represents a front view ot Fig. 4, partially in section. Fig. G represents a side view from the left of the apparatus shown in Fig. et. Fig. 7 is a separate view of the smoothing and hardening device shown in Fig. 3. Figs. S and 9 represent details of the support of the winding apparatus. If-lig. 10 represents another forni of winding apparatus in working position for winding helices of comparatively small dimensions. Fig. 1l is a side view of part of Fig. 10 from the right with the bearings ofthe spindle omitted. Fig. 12

is a separate view of the guide-support of the y apparatus shown in Figs. lO and 11. Fig'. 13 represents another form ot' the device for smoothing and hardening the nished helix. Figs. 14 and l5 are alongitudinal and a cross section, respectively, of a iiexible shaft produced by the method referred to.

.As will be seen from the drawings, the apparatus for winding the strip of metal essentially comprises a revolnble spindle I?, mounted in a block a and provided with a crank c and a suitably-fastened holder or clamp d. Placed ou the said spindle is a supportingplate e, provided with a hole for thespindle and carrying a device'for guiding the strip of metal l to be wound.- The construction of the said guiding device'depen-ds upon the dimensions of the strip ot' metal and the helices or helical springs to be produced.

In the form of the winding apparatus represented in Figs. l and 2 and Li to 6 the supporting-plate e, in which is a hole f for the spindle b, is Yprovided with a slide g, which serves to center the strip-guide on the spindle, whatever the diameter ot' the latter is. For this purpose the' slide g, which is verticallyadjustableby means of set-screws 'L' and longitudinal slots j, is provided with a hole h, Figs. 6 and 8, against the circumference` of which the spindle ZJ impinges when the slide has been properly adjusted. A grooved roller It, pivoted on the slide f, serves as a guide for the strip of metal Z, which is also supported by a plate m, arranged on the other side of the plate e. A cut-away part n of the plate m embraces the spindle h, and the said plate can be adj usted at av distance from the plate e equal tothe thickness of the strip Z by means of adjusting-screws 1l and o. For the purpose of facilitating this adjustment strips of metal or the' like t equal in thickness to the strip Z may be placed between the plates c and m. Below the plate 'm a plate q, Fig. l9, is arranged on the plate e and is adjnstable by means of a longitudinal slotp and a set-screw s. A tongue fr of this plate q serves to hold the first coil ot the strip l. The operation otl this apparatus is as follows: The distance between the plates e and fm.l is adjusted to equal the thickness of the strip of metal to be treated, and the platem is secured in its position byfrneans of the screws o and '11, Thereupon the end of thev said strip ot metal Z is passed underneath the roller k and between the plates@ and m and laid between the plat-e fm. and the tongue fr of the slide q, being finally fastened to the clamp d on the spindle Z9. A simple revolution of the crank c is then sutticient to produce the first coil of the helix. When this has been done, the slide gis moved backin the direction of the arrow shown in Fig.v 2,and the rotation of the crank c is continued. A number of helical coils equal to that of the revolutions rco J\--\-tance apart by the screws u.

spindle b is revolved, Fig. 3, the strip ofv of the crank will thus be obtained, the distance between the coils beingequal to the thickness of the plate m. During the Winding of the helix the plate e, with the guiding device, is moved laterally (in Fig. 1 toward the left) by the coils as the latter are produced and is held by hand perpendicularly` to the axis of the spindle in order not to rotate with the latter. Y

In the modification of the winding appa` ratus represented in Figs. 10 to l2 and serving to produce helices of small dimensions the supporting-plate e, through the hole f, in which the spindle b passes, is provided with a downwardly-bent tongue c: at its upper end, the lower edge of the said tongue being cut away at one place to correspond with the diameter of the spindle. The strip of metal Z is simply placed between the plate e and the tongue Qc, and the rotation of the spindle will impart to it the shape of a flat helix wound edgewise.

If helical springs are produced from brass or the like in the manner described, it is advisable to smoothen and harden them in order to obtain the desired elasticity. For this purpose the coils of the spring While still on the spindle are passed between two suitablyshaped compressingcheeks. In the apparatus s hown in Figs. 3 to 7 the said presscheeks 11 and w are fastened to the lower part of the plate e and are held the requisite dis- VVhen the metal is drawn between the cut-away parts y and z of the cheeks U and w.

Instead of the device shown in Figs. 3 to 7 that shown in Fig. 13 may be used for the same purpose. The latter device consists of two revoluble cones 2 and 3, which can be brought closely together by means of the screw 4, with which the movable support of the cone 2 is connected. The coils of the helix pass between the said cones 2and 3 and are tightly pressed by the latter, which are revolved by means of bevel-wheels 5 and 6 and a crank 7.

Helices produced in the manner described may be cut into separate coils, which may be converted into rings by flattening them and soldering their ends together.

The helices wound edgwise in the manner described may further be used as helical springs of any kind, as electrical resistances, iiexible shafts, and for many other purposes. Figs. 14 and l5 represent a iiexible shaft produced in the manner described. The said shaft consists of a helix 8, wound edgewise and preferably made of steel and provided with a suitable cover 9. By winding edgewise a comparatively thin and therefore very light band of steel an extremely strong and very flexible helix is produced which is particularly adapted to use as a power-transmitting shaft. If exceptionally high resisting capacity is required of the flexible shaft, the latter may be constructed of two or more fiat helices produced by the method described and inserted one into the other and,'if necessary, provided with a suitable cover.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,`isi l. An apparatus for producing helices comprising a revoluble mandrel, a work-holder, a support fitted loosely on themandrel and shiftable away from the work-holder, a work.- directing element mounted on said support in laterally-spaced relation thereto and shiftable. therewith relative to the work-holder, and a work-guide mounted on said support for adjustment' therewith and held thereby in operative relation to the work-directing element.

2. An apparatus for producing helices comprisinga revoluble mandrel,a stationary workholder, a supporting-plate fitted loosely on the mandrel and shiftable away from said workholder, another plate fastened to the supporting-plate in laterally-spaced relation thereto and having a work-directing surface, and a work-guiding roller carried by said'supporting-plate and disposed in front of the workguidingsurface, the work-guiding plate and the roller being adjustable with the supporting-plate.

3. In an apparatus for producing helices, the combination with a mandrel and a Workholder, of a vertical supporting-plate shiftable on said mandrel laterally with respect to said work-holder, another plate carried by and adjustable vertically on said supporting-plate, a work-guiding member supported by the second-named plate and adjustable vertically therewith, and a work directing element spaced laterally from the supporting-plate.

4. In an apparatus for producing helices, the Combination of a vertical support, a horizontal plate fastened to said vertical support and adjustable vertically thereon, a guidingroller carried by said horizontal plate, another plate spaced laterally with relation to said support and having a work-directing surface,

IOS

IIO

means for adjusting the last-mentioned plate on the support, and a revoluble mandrel.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a suitable support and a revoluble spindle, of a plate having a workdirecting surface, and a slide adjustable into overlapping relation with the plate, as and. for the purposes set forth.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a revoluble spindle, of a plate having a work-directing element, and a slide provided with a tongue which is arranged to overlap said directing element of the plate, as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a suitablesupport and a revoluble spindle, of a plate mounted on the support and having a notch adapted to receive the spindle and also having a work-directing surface, and a slide adjustably fastened on the support and provided with a` notch and a tongue.

8. An apparatusofthe class deseribed,oom prsing a revoluble spindle, meansfor direct.- ing a, Work-strip thereto and adapted to produce a, helix thereon, and a subsequently effective helix-compressing device adapted to the combination with a supporting-plate having an opening, a revoluble spindle in said opening, a slotted plate fastened adjustably to the supporting-plate and provided with a Work-guiding roller, and another plete mounted on the supporting-plate and provided with a recess adapted to partly receive said spindie, as and for the' purposes set forth.

In testimony n whereof I have signed my name to this specification, this 10th day of October,'190l, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GUsTAvE TROUVE.

Wituesses I. ALLISON BOWEN, GEORGE E. LIGHT. 

